Be Prepared

"Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, 'Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.' But Moses said, 'You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the Lord our God. Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the Lord our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the Lord.'" -Exodus 10.24-26

After nine plagues Pharaoh has had about all that he can take. Moses comes before him and Pharaoh says, "Take all the people, young and old, men and women, but leave your animals behind." But Moses tells him, "That's not good enough. We need our animals so that we will be able to properly worship God." The offer is getting close, but it isn't all that God had promised yet, and so Moses doesn't take it.

He was told that the people would worship God on the mountain, but God didn't tell him how. He knows that to be able to properly do what God requires they need to be prepared with all of their flocks and herds. Israel has lost the tradition of worship, 400 years of slavery will do that to you. In Leviticus we see God teaching His people how to worship Him, but for now Moses knows they simply must be prepared and ready for whatever God asks.

Men, are you prepared to do whatever God asks? Do you have your resources and skills at the ready, so that God can use you? Is your sword polished and sharpened for battle? Or are you headed out to the wilderness while your sword is sheathed back in Egypt? Are you prepared to worship God?

Had Israel taken this offer they would have gotten into the wilderness and been unable to worship God. They would have been unprepared because they took an offer that was "good enough". But God doesn't settle for good enough, He always has the best in store for His people. Moses knew what God had said, and he would make sure the people were prepared to be able to worship God as He instructed. Are we prepared to do whatever God asks? To give Him whatever He desires? Be prepared.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Let God Handle It

"Moses said, 'We shall go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we shall go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.' Then he said to them, 'Thus may the Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Take heed, for evil is in your mind. Not so! Go now, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desire.' So they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence." -Exodus 10.9-11

Pharaoh just said the men could go. The men that he had piled work on so that they wouldn't have time to listen to Moses, he is now permitting to leave. A leader who hadn't learned to trust fully in God would probably have jumped at the opportunity. The men can head out of Egypt, and then meet up with a neighboring king who wouldn't mind expanding his territory. They join forces and return to Egypt in battle formation, take out Pharaoh, and free their families.

Sounds like a decent plan, men doing what they were made to do, fight and protect their families. But his isn't the way God has said He will deliver His people. He isn't going to have them do a thing, because if He did then their praise would be for themselves. They would say, "We rescued ourselves from Egypt with our own strength and courage. We defeated Pharaoh and won our freedom." That isn't the way God has in mind, and thankfully, Moses is a leader who trusts fully in God.

Men, what is your course of action? Do you trust God to handle it, or do you seek an ideal opportunity and then take matters into your own hands? Let's face it, we like, no, we love control. We love to take matters into our own hands, and we hate when we don't have control over a situation. We hate when we can't figure something out or do anything to determine the outcome. But there is so much with life that we can't control. And as Men of God there is so much we are called to give up control of, or at least our attempt of control.

Had Moses taken matters into his own hands, thought, "Maybe this is what God had in mind all along" a lot of Israelites would have been killed. But because he listened, and more importantly trusted God to handle it, he leaves Pharaoh's presence and ushers in the next plague.

What does taking matters into our own hands end up costing us? Is it worth it? Let us learn to trust. Let's let God handle it.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Tell the Stories

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.'" -Exodus 10.1-2

Egypt has been through some hard times recently, but God isn't done yet. He hardens Pharaoh's heart so that He can show His power to His people. But the signs He is about to perform are not simply for this generation, the stories are to be passed down so that each generation may know that the Lord is God.

Up until Moses came to Egypt all they had were the stories of God's promises to Abraham and his descendants. They knew the story of his faithfulness, but what stories were there of God's power? Now God is showing them first hand what He can do, and just as they passed down the stories from Abraham, they are to pass these down as well. They are to tell of the wonders God did to set them free from slavery so that all generations will know that God will take care of His people.

Men, what stories of God's power and provision have been passed down to you? We still read the stories of the ten plagues, as well as the rest of the Bible. We have records of the great things God has done, but what about the personal stuff? What has God done in your own family? How has He taken care of your parents and grandparents?

Maybe you're the first one to trust God in your family. Maybe the stories begin with you. How has God worked in your life? Where have you seen His power and provision? Pass those stories down. Share about the time He provided the exact amount of money you needed to pay the bills or rent. Share about how God provided groceries unexpectedly. Share the story of how God delivered you from addiction. These are the stories that your children and grandchildren need to hear.

Yes, read them the Bible and share about the great things God did, but remember we serve a living God who is still at work today. Let them know that God still takes care of His people and provides for their needs. Let them know that God still delivers His people from slavery.

Tell the stories.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor